Chapter 13

Feyre discovers a massive mural in the estate library depicting Prythian's history and the faerie courts, then struggles with her illiteracy while attempting to write a secret letter to her family. After a tense confrontation with Tamlin about her inability to read, she seeks out Lucien and carefully extracts information about how to trap a Suriel, which she plans to do in the western woods.

Feyre enters Tamlin's study to write a letter warning her family about the blight spreading across Prythian. Overwhelmed by her own illiteracy—a result of her mother's neglect and her sisters' refusal to teach her—she spends the morning attempting to read a children's book and building a list of unfamiliar words. While exploring the library, she discovers an extraordinary mural spanning an entire wall that depicts Prythian's creation from a cauldron, the defeat of humans by faeries, and the current division of territories after the Treaty. The mural reveals the Spring Court's lands above the wall and the extent of faerie dominion, with the mysterious Night Court occupying a vast, dangerous territory to the north. Returning to her desk, Feyre is interrupted by Tamlin, who offers to help her write the letter. She refuses, insulted and unwilling to reveal her vulnerability, and their conversation turns hostile when she expresses her distrust of him as a faerie. After he leaves, Feyre notices her crumpled list has disappeared and the books have been disturbed, suggesting Tamlin may have discovered her intentions. Later, she seeks out Lucien in his chamber and, using careful language and riddles, extracts information about how to trap a Suriel—a creature she plans to pursue in the western woods. Lucien provides detailed instructions about snares, bait, and escape routes while maintaining plausible deniability, warning her that if discovered, both would face Tamlin's wrath.